Promote Entrepreneurship Among Wyomingites

Nearly 90% of the jobs in America come from businesses with less than 20 employees. I say we promote entrepreneurship here in Wyoming, instead of importing jobs from out of state.

There is nothing I know more about than entrepreneurship, having operated businesses in 22 states, and invested in over 100 others.

My track record led the highest-ranked entrepreneurship program in the country to offer me a position on its faculty, where I have since trained hundreds more entrepreneurs. I’d like to lead an entrepreneurial revolution in this state, and I’ve got the know-how and the connections to do it.

Home-grown entrepreneurship is the engine that fueled our country’s growth—and it’s a mistake to spend resources recruiting companies from California to Wyoming. Instead let’s harness the talent of Wyoming to launch a generation of Wyoming company founders.

We have no income tax, low cost of living, great outdoor recreation, and abundant natural resources—for these reasons the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council ranked Wyoming as the 4th best state for small business. We have everything we need to get the job done, except leadership.

I’ve got three specific steps to my program:

Expand quality education. I know from experience entrepreneurs need training to succeed. Let’s expand our programs in our high school, college, and university system to nurture the next generation of business owners and operators.

Take advantage of federal tax policy. We have twenty-five designated Subchapter-Z Opportunity Zones, where investors and entrepreneurs can relocate or begin businesses under very attractive Federal tax laws. As your senator, I will work with the Governor’s office to fast-track approval of businesses that qualify for Subchapter-Z Opportunity Zones.

Connect investors to talented Wyomingites. Investors in this country are looking for trained entrepreneurs and good ideas. Capital follows people and opportunity – not the other way around. Rather than create a small source of start-up capital run by the state government that would only help a few entrepreneurs and have the government picking winners and losers, I’ll use my background to connect a vast network of highly experienced investors to Wyoming and its people.

“Dave Dodson should be the Republican pick for U.S. Senate. We see a clear difference between the two candidates – one is running on convictions, while the other appears more focused on ambition.”